Boozman presses for new trade deal
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., urged passage last week of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the trade deal that’s been called NAFTA 2.0.
In a speech on the Senate floor, he emphasized the importance of exports to Arkansas’ economy.
Canada and Mexico are the state’s two largest international markets, he noted.
Free trade is especially important to Arkansas’ farmers, the lawmaker from Rogers said during his five-minute address.
Commodity prices are low, and the trade war with China has caused pain, he noted.
Recent federal financial assistance to farmers has been helpful, but it’s not agriculture’s preferred option, Boozman said.
“In my discussions with farmers on how we can help, the same mantra is often repeated. They prefer trade over aid,” Boozman said. “While they appreciate the president’s efforts to ease the pain during these trade standoffs, what they really need are more markets in which to sell their products. They understand that increased trade is the way forward to create a better, long-term outlook for their operations. Our neighbors to the north and the south are our natural allies and trading partners,” he added.
Boozman was one of nine senators who gave speeches on the need for free trade, according to U.S. Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., the organizer of Tuesday’s series of addresses. Lawmakers from South Dakota, Colorado, Kansas, Indiana, Iowa and Ohio were also listed as participants.